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Lakers Keep The Machine!
07.25.08
According to the Riverside Press-Enterprise, the Lakers have signed restricted free-agent guard Sasha Vujacic to a three year contract, worth $15 million.
The signing comes just one week after the Lakers failed to match the Warriors’ 4-year, $17 million deal for their other restricted free-agent, forward Ronny Turiaf. There were also serious rumblings from Vujacic’s camp that he may return to Europe for more money.
The Lakers originally offered a 3-year, $12 million deal that Vujacic and his agent turned down, and then threatened to accept an offer from a team in the Europe if they didn’t get a better one from the Lakers.
“The Machine” had his best season last year, as he averaged 8.8 points and 43.8% of his 3-pointers off the bench for the Western Conference champs. He also had a very memorable Game 3 of the NBA Finals, where he scored 20 points and nailed a clutch 3-pointer in the final minutes to give the Lakers the victory.
Management’s goal this offseason was to keep both Turiaf and Vujacic, and after they lost one, they wanted to make sure they kept one of their top bench players, and their most prolific long-range shooter. They did.
Turiaf Headed to Warriors?
07.09.08
Lakers’ restricted free-agent forward, Ronny Turiaf has agreed to a reported 4-year $17 million deal with the Golden State Warriors today. The Lakers now have seven days to match the offer.
Turiaf agreed to the contract a little more than a week after the Lakers extended him a qualifying offer of around $1 million. Turiaf had his best season as pro averaging 6.6 points and 3.9 rebounds in nearly 19 minutes per game last year.
Should Turiaf depart, the Lakers will undoubtedly be looking for another big body up front to replace the team’s most-emotional player. Journeyman forward Kurt Thomas’ name has come up as someone who could replace Turiaf, with not nearly the same price tag.
Turiaf’s deal also clouds Sasha Vujacic‘s return to the Lakers, as he will probably command even more money than the French-born forward. He may get mid-level exception offers, which is around $5.8 million, from other teams. It is unknown if the Lakers would use their exception to keep him.
While Lakers’ GM Mitch Kupchak has repeatedly said he very much wants to keep both Vujacic and Turiaf in purple and gold, the Lakers are already over the salary cap, and owner Dr. Jerry Buss does not like paying the league luxury tax for exceeding it. So it remains to seen what happens with both players, and if the Lakers will match Turiaf’s deal with the Warriors.
Stay tuned.
Joe Crawford Summer League Interview
07.08.08
The Lakers only pick of the 2008 NBA draft, Joe Crawford from Kentucky, sat down today with Lakers.com and gave his first real interview wearing the purple and gold.
Follow the link below to watch it!
Bynum Ready to Resume Full Basketball Activities!
07.04.08
A quick note on some great news for Lakers center Andrew Bynum.
According to the Lakers blog at OCRegister.com…
Andrew Bynum did indeed receive medical clearance from doctors Thursday and will begin training in earnest by mid-July. His agent, David Lee, said the Lakers center did not have any pain or swelling in his surgically repaired left knee and will be ready to go by training camp in October.
Something about Bynum to finally be excited about again. He’s back!
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